SACRFICED TO THE SWORD
by LinZE
Summary: Some things are worth sacrificing everything for. Set after THE TAKEOVER this is another snapshot into what was going on at Hogwarts, and the lengths some people went to in order to keep the students safe during book 7 MM, SS, FF, PS, PP and NL, GW & LL.
1. Chapter 1

**SACRIFICED TO THE SWORD**

**Disclaimer:** Any body, thing or place you recognise does not belong to me and I make nothing from my use out of them except a strange satisfaction.

**Summery:** It had been a long week. A long week in a series of long weeks, Minerva self-corrected as she sorted through the untidy stack of homework her students had just handed in. Along with nigh on 300 essays to mark, her usual administrative duties to fulfil, her classes had been interrupted on no less than three separate occasions by abrupt messages from the Headmaster.

**Chapter 1**

Severus Snape was no fool. His requests were not born out of ignorance or lack of aptitude, he was merely reasserting the fact that if he snapped his fingers she really had very little choice but to ask how high. Sometimes there was validity to the tasks, they were reports that really did need to be completed or accounts that needed to be balanced but equally they were sometimes so farcical that she struggled not to incinerate them upon reading. That however, would only have provided momentary satisfaction followed by hours of frustration as she tried to remember exactly what the Headmaster's exacting and specific instructions had been.

With only half an hour before dinner, she was hugely tempted to take the time to simple rest her eyes but knew that she would only regret the decision later. Balancing her papers carefully she, negotiating her way down the corridor to her office, once more hit by the lack of noise and students visible in the hallways.

There was a very different air to Hogwarts this year, different even from when the Chamber had been re-opened and the students under a direct threat. It was almost like a segregated community with certain students allowed free reign to do what they wished and the rest downtrodden and oppressed. However, if there was one thing she had learnt or at least had re-iterated to her in the last month, was that there were some things that it just didn't pay to dwell on.

Her plan to get on with her marking fell apart completely as soon as she saw the pair of first years waiting outside her door. Ostensibly, the reason for the visit was a question about homework, one that was answered quickly, though Minerva did remind them that she had specifically allocated office hours if they needed to ask anything else. But once settled down with a ginger newt apiece, it became rapidly obvious that what they were really looking for was a little mothering.

By the time the bell sounded for dinner, Minerva felt she had offered at least a little reassurance and their moods seemed to have buoyed somewhat. Lifting the second year essays from the top of the pile, she chose a self-inking quill from her desk and turned to follow them towards the great hall.

Focus was rarely a problem for the Head of Gryffindor, she had perfected the art of tuning out commotion around her as a student and supposed she fell back on old skills at times like these as worked away more or less oblivious to those dining around her

"Minerva?"

She heard the query but finished the paragraph she was on before she looking up.

"Yes, Poppy?" she asked in her most pleasant tone, turning to look at the Healer. "What can I do for you?"

"I was just curious as to whether you were intending on participating in the more traditional aspects of dinner." She replied, gesturing to the dishes of food sitting on the table.

"I've eaten." She pointed out.

"You had a bowl of soup and two lettuce leaves." The other woman countered.

"Firstly that's just not true and secondly I'd thank you not to treat me as though I were a child."

"Well said." The Headmaster's voice came from the other side of her, obviously having finished his conversation with Filius. "Professor McGonagall has obviously fallen behind in her work, so perhaps you should refrain from distracting her further."

Poppy scowled forcibly but thankfully kept her mouth shut. When the deserts arrived on the table however, she did push a chocolate sponge into Minerva's line of vision. The last thing she felt like eating was cake but in a conciliatory move she did reach for the fruit bowl and selected a banana.

"You did get my note?" Snape asked, as the students began to dissipate out of the hall. Minerva restrained herself from asking which not it was he was referring to.

"Of course Headmaster. I'll have the breakdown of the figures for you by tomorrow lunchtime if that's acceptable?"

"I'll need them for when I get back tonight." And with that he stood and swept out of the hall. There was obviously to be no discussion of how ridiculous a demand that was and how completely unnecessary it was given the fact that the meeting wasn't until the following evening.

She was just about to go and start creating the dossier when a knot of senior students caught her attention. You couldn't teach successfully for as long as Minerva had without developing some form of intuition and every fibre in her body was telling Minerva that there was something going on. Watching them for a moment she realised that the last thing she wanted to do was get drawn in by whatever was going on.

She knew that Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom, as well as several other students had been meeting secretly but having pulled them both aside at the very start of term to warn them that she had very little control over what would happen to them should they step outside the rules and to try and convince them that they would do everyone more good by staying in the school, she had had to take a step back. The more she knew, the more likely that Snape would get it out of her.

Miss Weasley looked up, as if sensing her gaze and she held the younger woman's for a moment before turning and leaving the hall. Whatever it was that they had planned, she hoped that it worked and more importantly that they got away with it.

Three hours later, the figures were dancing in front of Minerva's eyes. There was a reason she had only just scraped her O in NEWT level Arithmancy and there was also a reason why the Governors paid a specialist to manage the Schools investments. The detail in the calculations being used was far more complex than she had worked with in years and the fact that she hadn't slept for more than five hours a night in weeks certainly wasn't helping her concentration.

When the Headmaster's voice called to her from the fireplace her first reaction was that she must have fallen asleep as she was certain it wasn't yet midnight and Snape had said specifically that he wouldn't be back in the castle before then. Glancing at the clock above the mantle though, she saw it was just the back of ten.

"Headmaster?" she responded, standing and coming around from behind her desk.

"I've just returned to the castle to find several of your students have broken into my office and were attempting to get away with a particularly valuable relic."

Minerva tried to formulate some form of coherent sentence but thankfully he continued before her lapse in eloquence became too obvious.

"If you would be _kind enough_ to join us…"

"Of course, Headmaster." She replied, turning to leave immediately.

She was already halfway to the Head's office when she realised that she hadn't even paused to put on her usual teaching robe. Thoughts of her students drove her on against this small breach in her own personal protocol though, telling herself that given that her high necked, long sleeved blouse and full skirts were more than decent enough to pass by most standards.

Climbing the stairs two at a time, Minerva wished, not for the first time, that the original moving of the stairs to meet her needs after the transferral of the wards had not been a one off.

It was with more than a little trepidation that she paused momentarily before the stone gargoyle, not knowing what faced her beyond the spiral staircase. She straightened her hair, and then let her right hand fall to where her wand sat, holstered at the waistband of her full skirt. She strained her ears to hear what was going on inside the office as she rode up, all the while trying to restrain her imagination.

"Ah, Professor, I see you did decide to join us." Snape drawled as she entered.

"Headmaster," she acknowledged, trying to keep her tone civil, while her gaze fell upon Longbottom and the youngest Weasley. "Are you unharmed?" she asked looking from one then to the other.

She received two sharp nods in return, despite the fact that Neville was sporting a burnishing black eye, Ginny was cradling a wrist to her chest and both were being held in place by one of Amycus Carrow's hands on their upper arms. She turned to face the Headmaster, knowing that her anger was plain in her stance however hard she was working to control her tone. She was so tightly wound that she almost jumped out of her skin when the door behind her banged open.

"I found this one hanging around in the corridor." Alecto Carrow crowed as she dragged the Lovegood girl in by the scruff of her neck. "Shall I…?" she began, a kind of enthusiasm glinting in her eyes that only served to increase the foreboding growing within Minerva.

"No." Severus stopped her but made no further mention of what it was she had been alluding to. "And I think the Deputy Headmistress can be held responsible for all these students especially considering what it was they were attempting to steal."

It was only then that she noticed what it was that Snape was holding like a cane. Alastor would have lambasted her soundly for the oversight, and Minerva could hear his cry of 'Constant Vigilance' so clearly that it almost hurt.

"Now Miss Weasley, Mr Longbottom," Severus began to pace back and forth across the hearth, swinging the impressive sword in idle, yet surprisingly skilful figure-of-eights. "would you like to enlighten me as to what exactly it was you were thinking?"

"Not particularly."

"Miss Weasley!" she snapped, her student's blatant provocation of Snape and the danger she was consequently putting herself in, enough to break her restraint.

"I have been informed," Severus continued, "that a certain _Undesirable Number 1_ seems to believe he has some claim to this relic."

"He has more than a claim" Longbottom countered. "it should be his. Professor Dumbledore wanted Harry to have it." In one instant, Minerva was struck by just how much Neville Longbottom had grown over these last years and her heart swelled with pride.

The Headmaster spun on the spot and pointed the point of the sword directly at Neville's heart.

"You would do well to be careful to whom you pledge your allegiances." He drawled, holding the students gaze as if daring him to look away. Longbottom did not however and after a moment the Headmaster let the sword fall back to his side and resumed his languid pacing. "Well, no matter your motivation – you will have to be punished severely for such a blatant breaking of not only school rules, but also the law. As Headmaster, there are," he turned at the end of the rug, and stopped to look at the three of them, "a number of options open to me when it comes to punishing miscreants."

"Headmaster," Minerva began, determined to try and intercede only to be waved off in an instant.

"I could call the Ministry and ask for their professional help." He allowed thoughts of Azkaban and interrogation chambers and their families to all roll through their minds. "But I rather feel that there is scope enough for your punishment within the confines of the school. Mr Filch has been begging for a chance to use the manacles he's hung in the Entrance Hall… Or perhaps I shall hand you over to the Professors' Carrow…" This prospect concerned her more than she would have liked to admit.

"Really Headmaster!" she protested, scrabbling through her mind for something, anything that might dissuade him from treating the three youngsters so harshly.

"And then there is," he continued, turning his irritated glare upon her, "of course, the matter of your Professor, whom it is becoming rapidly apparent cannot control her own temper never mind her students."

"I am ultimately responsible for my students behaviour." She acknowledged, hoping despite herself that she could tempt him with an alternative course of action, no mater what it might cost her personally.

"Are you suggesting that you should take the brunt of the punishment for your students misbehaviour?" Severus asked with another one of those smirks that set her hairs on end. "And what," he continued as he approached her, "could I possibly do to the upstanding and righteous Minerva McGonagall that would serve as a sterling example to the rest of the school?"

He was barely inches away from her now, and he lifted a hand only to pause and ensure he had her full attention, before trailing the back of his fingers along the curve of her cheek. Inside, a voice screamed at her to pull away, to get as far away from this man as she could and to never come back, but there was a louder voice. One of her principle functions at the school was to be in loco parentis. How often in these last weeks had she tried to assuage the fears of the parents who wrote to her. No, she would not be able to live with herself if she were not to do everything in her power to protect her students from these dangers.

She bore his touch, managing to suppress her instinctive flinch as he held her chin between thumb and forefinger, tilting her face in the flickering candle light.

"Oh, I think I might quite enjoy that challenge." He said, letting go of her chin only to replace the hand firmly on her shoulder. "Kneel."

She did not obey, but held his gaze, refusing even to blink. There was something lurking in his obsidian eyes, something more than just malice, something that caused her fear to writhe within her and panic gnaw at the edge of her resolve but she did not look away.

"Kneel." He instructed more forcefully, holding the sword out for Alecto Carrow to take. Just before Minerva's intellectual side won the battle and she bent at the knee, he leant even closer to her.

"Don't make me angry, Minerva," he began before breaking eye contact at last and leaning in to whisper in her ear. "you wouldn't like me when I'm angry."

Both his nearness and his tone combined to overcome her pride and she couldn't suppress her natural instinct to shudder this time and with his heavy hand on her shoulder, she allowed her knees to buckle.

The jolt as she hit the floor was accompanied by an eruption of noise around her as Ginny and Neville began to protest but through the disturbance it was Luna Lovegood's voice that grasped her attention.

"Professor Dumbledore!" she exclaimed, in that slightly airy fashion of hers.

Minerva followed her gaze and found herself looking up at the portrait but could not for the life of her see what it was that had made Luna cry out. "He was awake." She added, seemingly unconcerned by the fact that the rooms inhabitants had all turned to follow her gaze. All that was, save Severus Snape whose eyes never once left the Ravenclaw's.

"You would all do well," he intoned with enough force to ensure that he received everyone's attention, "not to make your Professor's act of sacrifice futile by further misbehaviour." He turned his gaze to the two Gryffindors who were still protesting and pulling against their captor.

They turned to look at her and she was suddenly hugely aware of her lack of voluminous robes, and her subjugate position at the feet of the headmaster. Looking them straight in the eye though, she left them in no doubt who between them was in charge.

"Do as he says." Seeing that both of them were on the verge of protesting. "It will be fine." She continued, trying to impress upon them the truth of that fact, while trying to ignore the unnerving sensation of Snape walking around her and standing just outside her peripheral vision but still close enough to touch.

Leaning in towards her, he spoke just loudly enough for them all to hear.

"I do wish you wouldn't utter such inane platitudes, they are so beneath a woman of your intelligence."

"Alecto, Amycus – take these three to Hagrid's cabin and tell him I want them to join him on his foray into the forest for me. And tell him that I expect four times the yield he would normally harvest. Meanwhile, I think I shall teach Professor McGonagall a little something about control and… restraint." With his words, bonds sprung forth around her wrists and ankles.

"Make sure we're not disturbed." He instructed finally, before turning back to her and with a wave of his hand muttered, "Obscuro".


	2. Chapter 2

**SACRIFICED TO THE SWORD**

**Disclaimer:** Any body, thing or place you recognise does not belong to me and I make nothing from my use out of the except a strange satisfaction.

**CHAPTER 2**

Filius was older and consequently significantly more world wise than most of his students would give him credit for. He had also known Pomona Sprout long enough to be able to tell when something was bothering her and that was obviously the case tonight. But then again, most of the staff had been on tender-hooks for the last few months and it should hardly be surprising that the strain was beginning to show.

Eventually, suspecting that the Hufflepuff would feel better if she got her current concerns off her chest, he put his marking aside, folded his hands upon the desk and looked across the staff room at her until she looked up towards him.

"What is it that has you so distracted tonight, my dear?"

"I don't know." She replied quickly and with uncharacteristic frustration. "It's too quiet." She added after a moment.

"You mean apart from the continuing brawls amongst the student body, the ever more ridiculous edicts from the Headmaster or…"

"That's not what I meant and you know it Filius!" she sighed. "It just feels like something's changing – like we're about to enter a new phase of tyranny."

The Ravenclaw couldn't think what to say to that after all, his own fears had only continued to grow since the induction of the new Head. The situation was not as bad as it might have been – and that was exactly what it was that frightened Filius.

Thus far Snape had been more demanding, prejudice and altogether less pleasant than in his previous incarnation at the school. However, and it was a big however, he had also thus far, kept a tight reign on the Carrows, and though Poppy had seen more of the students in the first six weeks of term than she would normally see in a year – there were remarkably few of them that had been seriously hurt and the majority of those injuries had been inflicted by their fellow classmates rather than anyone else.

"You know what I think?" he said after several moments contemplation. "I think we both need a drink. Join me for a nightcap?"

"As long as it's not whiskey." She countered with a smile. "That's the problem after you've been introduced to the fine quality stuff – the rest tastes like homebrewed paint stripper."

Filius snorted.

"Ah well, Minerva's bottle was rather fine wasn't it? However, that my dear, is the joy of cherry syrup." He pointed out, closing the lid on his ink well.

They had only just settled in front of the fire, a glass of wine in hand when The Grey Lady appeared on the far side of the room.

"Professor Flitwick."

"My Lady," he greeted her with a deep nod.

"There is a student missing from the West Tower."

"Who?"

"Luna Lovegood, Professor, she left a little before 9 this evening and hasn't returned. There were several other students out after curfew that left around the same time but they are all safely back in the common room. As far as I could gather, had everything gone to plan she should have been there with them."

"Oh dear, do you know where they've been?"

"The Barron informed me that there were some sightings of students up on the 7th floor. Sir Nicholas also informs me that there are two students missing from the Gryffindor dormitories."

"Does Professor McGonagall know about this?" Pomona asked, sitting forward in her chair.

"The Baron did suggest that Professor McGonagall had been summoned by the Headmaster but he wasn't keen to divulge anything further."

"Thank you." He said almost absently, as his mind tried to process the ramifications of what it was he had heard.

"We have to go up there!" Pomona announced, standing abruptly.

"I'm not sure…" he began. "I'm not entirely sure that rushing in is the correct way to go about…"

"No – you're right. Minerva will have it in hand." She began to pace. "I'm going to go check the Set. Just to make sure."

"That's a good idea. I shall go and speak to those of my students who were out this evening and did return and I'm sure by then Minerva will have finished with the Headmaster." He tried to reassure her, but suddenly not quite so convinced himself.

On his return to the Tower, he was met by a group of anxious students. Of all the things that had changed this year, the fact that when something went wrong his students would turn to him, would turn to Pomona, would turn to Poppy or Minerva. They would turn to someone they could trust in the face of being caught by those of whom they were really scared.

"They've got Luna!"

"She was supposed to be back."

"We were all supposed to be back."

"Ginny and Neville were adamant!"

The flurry of statements came from the group.

"Miss Patil, Mr Goldstein." He instructed, gesturing for them all to quieten, "Please – one at a time! Now I understand that Miss Lovegood has not returned from this little… escapade." He raised his hand again, stalling the protests. "Which is something that we will discuss later. Where was she and what was it that she was doing."

"She was on look out along with some of the others." Terry Boot informed him. "We," he gestured to the small collection of students around him, "were all at the other end of the second floor. We were on diversion duty."

"We had a load of Weas…" Miss Patil began only to elbowed sharply in the ribs.

"We were to get Professor Amycus and Professor Amycus at the other end of the castle." Boot continued.

"Snape was away, see?" Goldstein added.

"Professor Snape or the Headmaster." Filius corrected automatically.

"We knew that Professor Snape was going to be away. So Neville and Ginny said that tonight was the night." Boot continued.

"They were going to be the ones to…. Well they were going to go into his office."

"But we were all due to be back!"

"Everyone should have been back in their houses by 10.15."

"We ran as soon as the distraction was… you know… distracting, so I'm not sure exactly what happened then."

"Fair enough, Lad." Filius, said almost to himself, "Fair enough. I shall look into it. I'm sure Miss Lovegood and the others will be fine." He tried to reassure them. "In the mean time – I think it would be best for all of you to head up to your beds and to try and get some sleep."

Once it was clear that his students were at least pretending to follow his suggestion, Filius headed back to the Staff Room hoping that there would someone there with more information about what was going on. He was so deep in thought that he almost walked right into Poppy as she swept out of the door on the ground floor.

"Filius!" she squealed, as they danced around each other in an attempt to maintain their balance. "Thank Merlin I found you." She continued.

"Is something the matter?"

"I've just had word from Hagrid that the _Headmaster_ has sent three students down to him to go foraging through the forest."

"Do we know who they are?"

"Miss Weasley, Mr Longbottom and Miss Lovegood." She confided with a sigh.

"Well at least we know they're in good hands." He consoled her.

"Yes well – his primary reason for getting in touch was the students concern about Minerva."

"Minerva?" he asked.

"Yes, it would seem that she has 'sacrificed herself to the sword' by encouraging Snape to punish her for the students transgressions."

Filius chose to say nothing but watched Poppy closely.

"He didn't have time to expand but I got the impression that… well,"

"I'm sure she'll be fine," was his automatic response, "Minerva can look after herself."

"She hasn't been fine in weeks!" Poppy snapped. "You might not have noticed that man working her to the bone but I have." She lost steam towards the end of her short tirade and Filius knew well enough that she wasn't really angry with him.

"You're not the only one who's noticed. She's thin as a rake and running on nervous energy – I can see that too." He began. "But she's strong – and at the moment the only thing we can really do is hope that she's strong enough."

"It's just…" Poppy tried to continue but faded away with a sigh and Filius reached out to place a hand on her lower back.

"I know… I know…. It's hard. Pomona should be back shortly – when she arrives we can go up to the Headmaster's office. But we do have to play it carefully, I'm really not sure what sort of game Professor Snape is playing but I think it would be wise to remain calm and professional."

"Easier said than done." The Mediwitch said taking his hand and squeezing it gently.


	3. Chapter 3

**SACRIFICED TO THE SWORD**

**Disclaimer:** Any body, thing or place you recognise does not belong to me and I make nothing from my use out of the except a strange satisfaction.

**CHAPTER 3  
**

Poppy Pomfrey twisted her medic alert bracelet around her wrist subconsciously; despite know that she would be able to tell instantly should any of the students call on her. The three of them waited until the staircase stopped moving before they began to climb again. The medi-witch couldn't put her finger on exactly why it was that she was so anxious about her friend. It wasn't the first time that Minerva had met their new Headmaster alone, or the first time she had stepped in to help their students but still there was something…

Just as they finally turned into the corridor that led to the Griffin and the entrance to the Head's office the Carrow siblings appeared at the other end of the hall significantly closer to the statue.

"Good evening Professors, Madame Pomfrey." Allecto Carrow crooned.

"Good evening, Professor Carrow." Filius greeted her, masking his own frustration at the situation better than either of the other two.

"I hope you weren't planning on disturbing the Headmaster," she continued the sycophancy in her voice really quite distressing to hear.

"Well we were hoping to…"

"I'm afraid the Headmaster has asked us to insure that he and Professor McGonagall are undisturbed tonight." Allecto continued quite obviously not at all apologetic really.

"Well _I'm_ afraid" Poppy cut in, "that I have something which I urgently need to bring to the Headmaster's attention."

"Well you can bring it to my attention or wait."

Filius placed a restraining hand on her arm.

"In that case," the Ravenclaw said, "we shall just have to wait. However, should you see either Professor Snape or Professor McGonagall before tomorrow morning if you would pass on that we were looking for them." The smaller man's extreme politeness was met only by a sneer from the Carrows but the Chamrs master seemed determined not to rise to their bate. "Now if you'll excuse us?"

Without waiting for a reply, Poppy felt the guiding hand on her arm and allowed herself to be steered away from an unnecessary confrontation. She managed to contain herself until they had returned to the privacy of the staff room.

"Those… goons!" she exclaimed before the door had even closed behind her.

"I can think of some choicer terms than that to describe those two." Pomona pointed out, collapsing into a sofa.

"I think we all could. Even my first years realise that those two couldn't find their way out of a paper bag."

"However, we're just going to have to wait this one out I think." Pomona commented.

"As much as it pains me, I think I have to agree." Fillius said, hopping up onto one of the wing-backed chairs. "Minerva would have our guts for garters if she knew we'd even confronted the Carrows as it is."

"Anyone would think we were her students." Pomona sighed rolling her eyes.

"You know Minerva feels responsible for us all." Poppy countered, joining the Hufflepuff on the setae. "Whether she ought to or not." She continued.

"Indeed. But on the up side at least, the weather looks like it'll hold - Hagrid and the students should be fine and I'm sure Minerva will be as well."

"Well it looks like hoping is going to be all we can do for the time being." Poppy declared. "I don't know about anyone else but I think I could use a cup of tea."

Poppy had had little chance just to sit, never mind relax, in the previous weeks and despite her concerns for her friend, she did relish the soft cushions, finely blended tea and what passed for normal conversation these days. When the clock struck midnight, and the gaps in the conversation became longer and punctuated more often with half-hidden yawns, the medi-witch in her kicked back into gear.

"Now, as much as I'm enjoying your company, " she began sitting forward and straightening her skirts. "I think it's long past your bedtimes." She raised a hand to forestall their protests. "And don't you dare object, I think that now more than ever you all need a little mothering. So this is the plan, it's a school night so you are both going to back to your rooms and get some much-needed rest.

"And you?" Filius asked.

"I'll head back to my rooms as well, I'll know if I'm needed," she raised her wrist with the alert bracelet. "and I've already asked Hagrid to check in with me when they're finished."

"Are you sure…?" Filius asked.

"There's no need for us all to wait up and I can always nap tomorrow. I'll let you know if…" she let that sentence trail off…

"Promise?" Pommona asked.

Poppy could only bring herself to nod. Minerva and she had had a conversation only a few weeks ago over a quickly claimed cup of tea, during which Minerva had confided in her, regarding the way in which Snape was behaving and having heard the other woman reason it out she had to agree. Snape was playing his hand close to his chest, he could have made life much worse than it was even now if he had wanted too. No, whatever the reasoning behind it, he wanted them all there doing their jobs and he wouldn't do anything to Minerva to disrupt that…

Somehow, that thought did not provide the security it ought to. No, Poppy couldn't entirely tear her thoughts away from what was occurring in the Headmasters office and what sort of state her friend would be in when their 'meeting' ended. As these thoughts chased around her head, Poppy opted to walk past Minerva's quarters on her way back to the hospital wing. She knocked on the door and receiving no answer summoned Kizzle, one of the Staff's House Elves.

"No Madame Nursey Ma'am, Professor has not been coming home or going back to her office but Kizzle will be letting Madame Nursey know, Ma'am as soon as the Professor is."

"Thank you." She replied with a smile, there really was something about House Elves.

As it happened, it was the ward around the hospital that woke her from her doze at a little after three, letting her know that she had visitors. She had been dosing in her fireside chair, but was awake and alert in an instant. Hagrid stood just inside the doorway, the three students huddled before them, all looking a little worse for wear but intrinsically in one piece.

"Is she ok?" Miss Weasley asked as soon as she entered.

"I'm sure Professor McGonagall is just fine." She told the student, with as much conviction as she could muster.

"You haven't seen her?" Mr Longbottom asked with equal fervour.

"Unfortunately, Professor McGonagall was in a private meeting with the Headmaster. One that we were not permitted to interrupt." She added with a scowl. "Now, all of you onto a bed. Thank you Hagrid," she added, "We'll catch up in the morning?" She got a gruff nod in return before the half-giant turned to leave, his eyes conveying his own concerns.

The Gryffindors were obviously not content with the answers they had received and continued to pester her as she ran a series of tests on all three of them.

"You should have just gone in there!" Ginny protested. "We need to…"

"The Professor knew what she was doing." Luna said quietly. "She wouldn't want anyone to aggravate the situation and put themselves in danger."

Poppy looked up at the girl in front of her, now staring absently into the middle distance, and marvelled at the child's peculiar insight.

"Well said Miss Lovegood." She commented and then continued before the conversation could go any further. "Now, it's late and you've all had a particularly long day so you're each going to take a sleeping draft and settle down for the night. No arguments."

She may not have been the 'infamous' Minerva McGonagall, but Poppy Pomfrey could still intimidate a student into doing what she wanted. Waiting until her charges had drunk their potions, were tucked up warmly she retreated back into her rooms to wait.

The second time she was woken, it was by Kizzle and it took her several moments to realise what it was that was so important about this.

"Madame Nursey! Madame Nursey! Professor McGonagall is being back in her rooms."

"Oh, thank you." She responded, as her thoughts caught up with her.

It took years of well practised restraint, to stop herself as she walked through the empty corridors, half expecting to be pounced upon by one, other or both of the Carrows or worse still the Headmaster himself. Not that she was doing anything wrong, but then again, that didn't really seem to matter all that much now. What was more concerning though, was what on earth it was that Snape had wanted with Minerva that had lasted until, she checked her watch, after five am.

The early morning light was pouring through led pained windows as she neared the Head of Gryffindor's quarters. Feeling the need to rally herself to face whatever came ahead, she took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

There was no reply.

She tried again, still to no avail.

"Minerva? I know you're in there." She called through the door and was about to call again when the door opened.

"Poppy." Came the cool greeting. "What can I do for you."

"I just wanted to check on you, to make sure you were alright."

"I would be much better if I was left alone to get on with my work – then I might just have the chance to shower and change before breakfast." Minerva said pointedly.

Deciding that another approach was in order, she paused for several moments before speaking again.

"You do realise that Miss Weasley, Miss Lovegood and Mr Longbottom were all concerned for your safety."

"How are they?" Minerva asked quickly, concern flaring in her own eyes. "They weren't hurt were they?"

"They're all fine." The medi-witch reassured her, "They're spending the night in the hospital wing but only because it was after two when Hagrid brought them back."

"Good." The Gryffindor murmured with a sigh, "Good."

"Of course it's good but it's not what I came here to discuss though. You still haven't answered my question."

Minerva shifted awkwardly, and Poppy took the opportunity to slip past her and into the other woman's room.

"I'm fine, Poppy. Tired. But fine."

Ever since she had opened the door, her exhaustion had been plain to see, as had the 'casual' way in which she had been leaning against the door jam and now did the same against the closed door. It was also quite obvious to the medi-witch that Minerva was in some considerable discomfort, despite how hard she was trying valiantly to cover it every time she moved.

"Miss Weasley asked Hagrid to contact us as soon as they were alone." Poppy began, "She related what happened almost exactly…"

"I'm sure she did." Minerva said rubbing her forehead. "And I'm sure that she had the best of intentions. However, that simply doesn't change the fact that I'm perfectly fine." Pushing herself off the door, she crossed the short distance to the seating before the fire and Poppy had to restrain her anger as the other women lowered herself carefully into the setae.

"Filius, Pomona and I tried to visit the Headmaster's office after Hagrid had relayed the message." The Hufflepuff declared, sitting down next to her friend. "The Carrows wouldn't even let us near the Gargoyle. They claimed that you and the Headmaster were in a private meeting were not to be disturbed."

Minerva snorted at this.

"Well, yes, I suppose you could have called it that." She replied hollowly, her eyes seeming to glaze over,

"What happened Minerva?" she asked quietly.

"Nothing." Came the immediate and firm response. "Now, as much as I appreciate your concern Poppy, I can assure you that there is nothing wrong with me that a good nights sleep wouldn't cure, however the Headmaster has requested that I have these accounts ready to present to him at breakfast this morning and so I had better be getting on."

Poppy wanted to scream. She wanted to yell at her friend at the top of her lungs, to ask if Minerva thought she had come down in the last shower of rain. Surely she didn't think that her standard answers of 'nothing' and 'I'm fine', were going to be enough to fob her off this time.

She also knew, however, that this would achieve absolutely nothing. If Minerva had decided that there was nothing to be discussed then that was that, at least for the mean time. Suddenly, she was overcome with an incredible wave of sadness at Minerva's, at least partly self-imposed, isolation. Resting a hand gingerly on the other woman's upper arm, she squeezed gently.

"Just promise me that you'll let me know if there's anything I can do to help. Anytime."

"Oh Poppy – I know for a fact that your Arithmancy is worse than mine." Minerva replied with a gentle smile. Classic diversionary tactics, but the look in her friends eyes convinced her to leave it be. She had made her point and it had been acknowledged.

"Well, in that case, I shall see you at breakfast then." And with a final pat, she stood and turned to leave.

"Poppy," Minerva called, just before Poppy had shut the door. "they really are alright though? The students…"

She nodded.

"A little cold, damp, and tired and more than a little anxious over your safety, but otherwise well. They really do care for you, you know."

"Hmmm… well at least I can trust you'll keep them out of trouble until the morning. Goodnight Poppy – and thank you."

As the medi-witch closed the door, she stood there, still holding the handle, fighting with herself. Shutting her eyes, she bit her lip and contemplated what she ought to do now.

The fears she had been fighting back all evening, instead of being dispelled had only intensified. She had confirmed nothing, if she had, then at least now she'd have something to do. But instead, she supposed, she was just going to have to wait and see. Wait until Minerva decided to open up, or something happened that meant she simply couldn't shut away the truth any longer, whatever that truth was.


	4. Chapter 4

**SACRIFICED TO THE SWORD**

**Disclaimer:** Any body, thing or place you recognise does not belong to me and I make nothing from my use out of the except a strange satisfaction.

**CHAPTER 4**

It had been a long day, a long day in a series of long days, even before Severus had left the school to report to Voldemort. The gathering had only been underway for a few hours when he suddenly became aware that someone had tripped the warning charms in his office. He had often suspected that Albus had been able to know more about the goings on at the castle due to his connecting with the Schools magics, he had not however found this to be the case with his relationship to the core.

No, despite everything, he continued to feel as though the strands of magic remained just on the edge of his awareness, frustratingly just beyond his reach unless he expended no little effort in order to grasp them. And so, he had added some additional protection charms to the Heads office and his own quarters. It was these that had been activated and he suspected he knew by whom.

Minerva had rallied the rest of the staff behind her and though he had done everything in his power to create the impression, and the actual situation, whereby she had no time to consider molding anything close to an organised resistance. She was holding up extraordinarily well under the demands he was placing upon her and though he had had little doubt that she would, he was perhaps more surprised that she had yet to openly, or privately, loose her temper with him.

But this was not her style, subterfuge perhaps, but she would have done a better job of testing out his defences and probably neutralising them than the current infringers had. No, Severus was fairly certain it had to be students who had disrupted his wards, and if it was students then he had a pretty good idea of which ones.

His wand was in his hand as he stepped out of the fire, though a quick survey soon told him the room was empty, he could tell there had been someone there moments before, and where it was they had been searching.

The Sword.

Racing across the room, he followed them to the door, and managed to petrify them, containing the situation quietly before it spilled back out into the corridor. Unfortunately he hadn't anticipated Amycus Carrow barrelling up the stairs and knocking into the petrified students sending them sprawling.

Severus took a moment to breathe before summoning the students wands and the Sword, ordering Amycus to his feet and lifting the Petrificus Totalis on the two Gryffindors.

"In my office." He growled, turning his back on them while his mind ran through a hundred different options. He was going to have to take this seriously or more importantly, he had to be seen to be taking it seriously.

Summoning a students Head of House was standard procedure and did allow Severus not only a little more time to think before he had to make any pronouncements but would also, he hoped, provide him with an ally. As they waited for her to arrive, he paced from one side of the room to the other, allowing the students anxiety to rise.

He couldn't be sure, but he strongly suspected that Minerva must have run the length of the castle to arrive as quickly as she did, but the slight flush to her cheeks was all that gave any indication she might be even slightly harried.

"Ah, Professor, I see you did decide to join us." he drawled as she closed the door behind her and made a cursory sweep of her students. She did return his greeting but it was plain that he was not her priority quite yet.

"Are you unharmed?" she asked, taking the time to look at her students one at a time. Both Longbottom and the youngest Weasley replied in the affirmative though they remained tight lipped though he noticed that neither of them were entirely unhurt. The young red head was fairly bristling at the firm hand hold that Amycus had on her arm and when Minerva turned to face Severus her anger was palpable in the air.

Before she could say anything however, Alecto came storming through the door, a typically doe eyed Lovegood in tow.

"I found this one hanging around in the corridor." She crowed, thrusting the younger woman in the direction of the other two. "Shall I…?" she offered, and the headmaster could almost hear her crack her knuckles in anticipation.

"No." he cut her off abruptly. "And I think the Deputy Headmistress can be held responsible for all these students especially considering what it was they were attempting to steal.

"Now Miss Weasley, Mr Longbottom," Severus resumed his pacing across the hearth, allowing the sword to swing idly, noting with some satisfaction that it's weight was impeccably well balanced and that it swung and twisted with remarkable ease. "would you like to enlighten me as to what exactly it was you were thinking?"

"Not particularly."

"Miss Weasley!" Minerva reprimanded. Severus raised an eyebrow it would seem that the younger woman had no compunction in provoking him even if her Head of House knew the dangers that laid down that road.

"I have been informed," Severus continued, choosing not to make more out of the incident. "that a certain _Undesirable Number 1_ seems to believe he has some claim to this relic."

"He has more than a claim, it should be his." Longbottom interrupted, his restraint seeming to have been worn down. "Professor Dumbledore wanted Harry to have it." He added, and Severus saw a flash of pride in Minerva's eyes.

Dismissing this thought he turned and levelled the sword at the young man.

"You would do well to be careful to whom you pledge your allegiances." He warned, holding the young mans gaze. Longbottom refused to look away and Severus was struck by just how much this young man had grown.

After a moment he let the sword fall, turning away to continue pacing once more. He waited another moment, trying desperately to muster some form of punishment that while classifiable as 'severe' would do no real lasting harm. Perhaps if he could focus on humiliation…

"Well," he began laconically, "no matter your motivation – you will have to be punished severely for such a blatant breaking of not only school rules, but also the law. As Headmaster, there are, a number of options open to me when it comes to punishing miscreants." He continued, turning to watch their reactions.

"Headmaster," Minerva began, insistently. He waved her off and ploughed on determined to at least make his point before he allowed her to intercede.

"I could call the Ministry and ask for their professional help." He suggested, knowing that there was no way he would do it but needing them to think that he still might. "But," he broke into the growing tension, "I rather feel that there is scope enough for your punishment within the confines of the school. Mr Filch has been begging for a chance to use the manacles he's hung in the Entrance Hall… Or perhaps I shall hand you over to the Professors' Carrow…" From the corner of his eye, he saw Minerva blanch at this thought and knew that there was only so long she could contain herself for under these circumstances.

"Really Headmaster!" she protested, and he could almost see her searching for some idea, anything that would allow her to deflect his anger.

"And then there is, of course, the matter of your Professor," he paused to look at her, "whom it is becoming rapidly apparent cannot control her own temper never mind her students."

It had been a throw away comment, the kind they had exchanged in the staffroom on an almost daily basis but it sparked something that he grasped as soon as she began to speak.

"I am ultimately responsible for my students behaviour." She offered with only a hint of trepidation.

"Are you suggesting that you should take the brunt of the punishment for your students misbehaviour?" Severus asked, allowing a truly sardonic smirk to grace his lips. "And what," he continued as he stalked languidly towards her, "could I possibly do to the upstanding and righteous Minerva McGonagall that would serve as a sterling example to the rest of the school?"

He didn't stop until he had firmly invaded her personal space. Raising a hand he paused to catch her eye before gently running her fingers down her cheek and was struck by the look in her eye. She was terrified. She was covering it exceptionally well, but she was absolutely petrified about what he might do to her.

Once, what seemed like a lifetime ago, when he was new to the staff of Hogwarts and still cutting his teeth in the staff room, he had been told something by Filius Flitwick that had shone a whole new light on Gryffindors like Minerva.

'_Courage for people like Minerva is not about a lack of fear, it's about the overriding unquestionable doubt that something is more important than what ever it is you're scared of.'_

He couldn't think of 'Minerva' now if this was going to work; not the woman who played the best chess in the school, the woman who had helped him and not asked the questions he could not answer_. _No, he could not think of her like that, he had to think of Albus' damn 'Greater Good'. After all, they were on the same side in this fight, they both wanted to get the students to the end of this war in one piece, or there about.

He could feel her suppress a shudder as he took her chin between finger and thumb.

"Oh, I think I might quite enjoy that challenge." He declared, releasing her chin and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Kneel."

It was a simple instruction, but a telling moment and Severus watched as she fought with herself. He knew what it was she saw when she looked at him, knew the hate and contempt that was reflected in his eyes, had cultivated it for a long time. She was searching for something now, something that she had been able to find before, a chink of that hurt young man who she always saw, never pitied but refused to use. There was no chink there, there couldn't be and yet in that moment he almost wished that she would see through him, see through it all.

There was no revelation though, only a steely determination growing by the moment.

"Kneel." He comanded, thrusting the sword towards Alecto, hilt first, hoping that she would take it from his hand. Eventually she did, and Severus leant in close to the Gryffindor ready to impart a little encouragement for her co-operation.

"Don't make me angry, Minerva," he began softly, "you wouldn't like me when I'm angry." He felt her shudder just before she succumbed and fell to her knees.

As soon as she did, there was a general outcry from her cubs, followed by the Carrows ubiquitously overzealous attempts to regain control. It was none of those voices, or his own, that stilled the disturbance however. The Lovegood girl's proclamation was not loud but somehow the implication of what she said seemed to lend weight to the simple statement.

"Professor Dumbledore! He was awake."

The rest of the rooms inhabitants all looked to the portrait, but Severus could not bring himself to turn and see what he knew was waiting for him. On more occasions than he could count over the last months he had been so convinced that Albus was watching him only to find when he turned that the former Headmaster was still apparently asleep in his frame.

It didn't take long for it to become obvious that this time was to be no different but what intrigued him was that the girl had actually seen Albus awake… there was no time to linger on those thoughts for the meantime though.

"You would all do well," he began sharply, waiting until they all looked back toward him. "not to make your Professor's act of sacrifice futile by further misbehaviour." The Gryffindors turned to look at their Head of House, sitting prone at his feet, as though only just realising that this was actually going to happen.

The looks that passed between the students and teacher however, showed that Minerva may be bowing but she was not going to be broken, at least not before her charges.

"Do as he says. It will be fine." It was as though if she could put enough conviction into that one statement, if she could make them believe that, then it really would be true. If only the world worked in that way.

Walking around her, he chose a point at which he would be just outside her field of vision before he stopped and lent down to stage whisper next to her ear.

"I do wish you wouldn't utter such inane platitudes, they are so beneath a woman of your intelligence."

He let the statement hang there for a moment before turning to he Carrows and effectively dismissing them under the cover of work. The students might not enjoy their night in the forest, but Hagrid would keep them safe at least.

"Meanwhile," he continued playing to his crowd and setting the scene for what he was sure they were convinced would follow. "I think I shall teach Professor McGonagall a little something about control and… restraint." With a flick of his wand he bound her ankles and wrists.

"Make sure we're not disturbed." He declared, the carnal and predatory look in Amycus' eyes as he nodded in understanding enough to turn his stomach. He turned his back on them though, and as he heard the door closing behind them he whispered "Obscuro".

He waited for several moments, watching to see what effect the spell would have, how Minerva would react to having her sight completely removed.

Her body tensed and Severus could see her fight the growing panic. She was kneeling bound and blinded on his office floor and there was going to be nobody coming to rescue her. She managed to keep her cool however, didn't squirm or plead no, she was waiting to see what happened before she showed her cards.

Severus tried to imagine what sort of things were running through her head, he knew she was not innocent in these matters, she was an intelligent woman who was not afraid of the truth of the matter. She knew what it was he had done in the past, had listened impartially as he had poured out vitriol about how no-one would ever trust a man like him. She had trusted him. She didn't now, not since Albus' death.

After several moments Minerva had still said nothing and with a growing clarity, Severus realised that that the witches silence was the key.

The Deputy Headmistress was normally exceptionally eloquent, until her temper got the better of her that was, and she was usually quick with a sharp retort or a spirited defence of a student, colleague or theory when necessary. She was also known for her obstinate refusal to ask for personal help or even to acknowledge when something was wrong with her, no matter how serious.

No matter what he did tonight, if Severus left Minerva fit to leave the room under her own steam then he doubted very much she would seek help from anyone if she could help it.

That did not mean secrecy however, the students were no doubt pouring out their concerns to Hagrid already and in turn he would likely contact Flitwick, or perhaps Sprout or even Madame Pomfrey. So whether Minerva liked it or not, the chances were that there would be someone asking uncomfortable questions as soon as she set foot in her own rooms. She would deny everything of course to begin with but there was only so long that even someone as private as Minerva would be able to fend off their concerns.

But if there was nothing to tell…

Once an idea was planted in the mind of her colleagues it would be easy enough to perpetuate and given Minerva's known propensity for secrecy regarding personal matters there was every chance that her claims that nothing had happened wouldn't be entirely convincing.

What he was considering would put Minerva in a horribly unpleasant situation, isolate her further from her colleagues and add another stressor to her load. It was however, a vast improvement on the alternative.

With a flick of his wand, Severus dowsed the father and almost instantly the temperature in the airy room dropped.

"Do not move." He hissed ominously. "I will be back and I _will_ knowif you have."

He cast a quick warding ring around her and turned to leave the room but once he reached the doorway he stopped, turning back to look at the older woman as she knelt in the middle of the room. These days his decisions and actions always seemed directed towards perpetuating the lesser of two evils; certainly in the short term. He would keep from physically harming Minerva for as long as he could, but what the long-term effects of prolonged manipulation in this way would be, he could only guess but he'd taken the first down this path and had little choice now but to follow where it led.

**A/N: **Well I hope you've enjoyed this - let me know either way I do love a little feedback :)

I'm hoping to continue this series of snapshots throughout the year but obviously I'd like any thoughts you guys have on the matter…

Thanks for reading!

xLx


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